Absolute and permissive block-signaling.



J. SHOEfiRAFT. ABSOLUTE A'ND ifcnmsswi BLOCK SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE24. 1916.

Patented June 5, 1917. 4 SHEETSSHEET l H J. SHDECRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 19KB- Patented June 5-, 1917.

4SNEETS-SHEET 2- ABSOLUTE ANDHPERMISVSIVE BLOCK SIGNALING. 1,229,155.

L'SHOECRAFT. ABSOLUTE ,AND PERMISSWE BLO'CK SIGNALING.

PatentedJune 5,1917

APPLICATION flLEp 111N524, I916- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. SHOHIRAFT. Assume AND PERMISSIVE BLOCK'SiGNALING.

' APPLICATION mm IUNE 24, m6. 1,229,155. Patented June 51917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Nmw

7 locking block signal system for single track J'UZDSON snoiicnar'r, or risxnrnen, Kansas.

ABSOLUTE AND rEmaIssIvE BLOCK-SIGNALING.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonson SHOECRAFT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at.

Eskridge, in. the county of Wabaunsee and State ofKansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Absolute and Permissive Block-Signaling, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in block signal systems for railways and has particular application to a single signal system for use on single track railways provided with sidings. I

In carrying out'the present invent1on,'1t is my purpose to provide a block signal system which will be found especially useful on single track railways provided with sidings and whereby a train traversing-the trackway and approaching the siding may cause a danger signal to be displayed at the siding when an opposing train enters the v1- cinit'y of the siding, thereby holding the opposing train. beyond the siding so that the approaching train may enter the siding,

'. and whereby opposing trains approaching each other on the trackway will be given absolute stop signals, while following trams will be given permissive signals so that the rear train may follow the leading train from block to block.

It is also my purpose to provide an interrailways whereby a train in one block may when leaving such block and entering the next block, cause a danger signal to be dis played and lock the signal in danger position, while traveling through the last named block so that the engineerof a following train will be advisedias to the condition of the block ahead.

A further object of my invention is to provide an interlocking block signal system for single track railways wherein each signal motor will be under the control of two control circuits that are under the control of an interlocking relay which, in turn, is controlled by the presence of trains in the blocks and wherein a train in one block will break one control circuit of the particular signal motor by (lei nergizing the corresponding side of the interlocking relay, and then break the other control circuit when entering the next adjacent block and holdthe first-mentioned circuit open so that the danger signal will be displayed, this Specification of Letters Patent. I

- Patented June 5, 1917.

Application med J une 24, 191 .6. Serial No.105,593

breaking of the control circuits and holding thereof in openposition bein due to the armature of the? last denergized side overlapping the armature of the first deenergized side of the interlocking relay and holding the first armature down irrespective of the renergization of the magnet of the first side of the interlocking relay; and whereineither side of the interlocking relay may hold the other side in circuit opening ositlon, depending upon which side of the nterlocking relay.1s denergized first.-

With the above and other objects in view,

:. the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the scope of the claims,

In the accompanying drawings; Figures 1 and 1" when taken together. show diagrammatically the circuit connections between the blocks between the sidings and illustrate the positions of the semaphores when the blocks between the sidings are occupied by trainsmoving in the same direction. 7

Figs. 2 and2. when'taken together show the same circuit connections and the positions of the semaphores when two trainsapproach each other head on and one train follows another.

Figs, 3 and 3 taken together illustrate the positions of the semaphores when one train is following another and the leading train has set the signals against the following train.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of one of the interlocking relays.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

10 and 11 indicate the parallel lines of rails of a trackway and this trackway is divided into blocks A, B, C, 'D, E, etc., by means of suitable insulation 12 arranged between the lines of rails at the meeting ends of the blocks to insulate the rails of one block from. 100,

those of adjoining blocks. Local-n1 at the meeting ends of the blocks are semaphores, each el'nbodying a signal blade 13 normallv held in clear position and adapted to gravitate to danger position, and a motor 14 eon gized, so that such blade may mo e to a 10- not necessarily,

sition indicative of danger. Also located at the meeting ends of the blocks are interlocking relays each embodying, in the present instance, a base 15' preferably, although formed of insulating material and equipped with upwardly extending supports 16 adjacent to the respective ends thereof having the upper extremities bent toward each other as at 17 and lying in a horizontal plane. Secured to the under sides of the horizontal end portions 17 'of the respective standards are electro-magnets 18 and 19. Mounted upon the base15 adjacent to the respective ends thereof are pivot posts 20 and pivoted own the respective posts 20 at each end of the base are contact levers 21, 22 and 23. Extending across-the upper, ed es of the respective sets of levers 21, 22 an 23 v and insulatedfrom such levers are armatures 21% disposed within -the influence of the poles of the magnets 18 and 19 respectively. "Arranged above the contact levers 21 and 23 respectively are contacts 25 and 26, while arranged below the contact lever 22 is a contact 27. The terminals of the magnets 18 and 19- are connected across the lines of rails of ad'ojning blocks at the meeting endsvof such locks and also connected across the lines of rails of each block is asource of energy as a battery 28. Each motor 14' is underthe control of two circuits, one circuit ihcludin a conductor 29 lead ing from one side 0 the motor 1+ and'connected to one side of a common battery 30, a conductor 31 leading from the other sidc ot' the battery 30 and tern'nnally connected with the contact lever 23 under the control of the magnet 19, and a comluctor 32 having one end connected to the contact 36 cotipcrating with the lever 23 and the other terminal connected to the other side of the motor 1+;

and the other circuit including a' comluctor .33 tapped onto the conductor 32 and terminally'conneeted to the contact 2o coopcrating with thecontact lever 23 under the influence of the magnet 18, and a comluctor 34 having one end connected to the lcvcr 2:.) under the influence of the magnet 18 and the other end terminally conncclcd to the co||- doctor 31..

Under normal conditions. that is. whcn lhc blocks-are unoccupied. the relay magncts is and 1.) are energized from tho rcspcclivc track batteries, thereby'holdin'g thc armaturcs and contact lcvrrs elcvatcd and as long as the contact lcvcrs 25 are clcvalc'd. such levers engage the contact 26 and hold both control circuits of thc rcspcctive motors stance, the blocks A and E, communicate with the sidings S rcs 'lcct vel-v, and the rcsimctivc lines of rails oi" thc sit ings adja-g cent to. the switch points are clqct rically con- In accordance with my present invcntitm,

the inner ends of the contact levers :21 of each interlocking relay are relatively long so that the end of one levcr will overlap the end of the other lever when both sets of levers are relieved of the influence of the respective magnets-so that the lowermost set of levers may be held down by the other set irrespective of the rci nergizat-ion ot' the rclay magnet of the bottom set, this locking of the, contact levers in lowered position constituting the interlocking feature of the relay.

Located in the advance motor circuit of the set adjacent to each siding, that is, the motor control circuit in advance of the 'switch points of the siding, is an auxiliary relay 36 enibodying an electro-imigi'iet 37 and an armature 38 disposed within the influence of the pole of the magnet 37 andconnected to one side of the ni,rticular control circuit and normally hold in engagc ment with a contact 39 connected to the other side of the control circuit to maintain the particular control circuit closed at this point. The magnets of these auxiliary relays are'connected in controlling circuits respectively am] the circuits of the auxiliary rclays cxtcnd through the -intcrlocl\'ing rclays of the blocks between the sidings aml are so 'arrangcd that as-long as a train is approaching one of the siding switches, the

aiixiliary rclay ahcad of such train will be hcld dci ncrgizcd in order to brcah onc of the controlling circuits of-thc motor of thc signal at such siding so that. when an opposing trainapproachcs the siding switch and' brcalts tlic other control clrcuit of thc no coding train and when thc following train .l has cutcrcd the block bchlnd the loading train it-linds a danger signal, incidcnt to the interlocking relays havlng bccn dci ncrgiz'cd' by the n'eccdlng train passing from one block to tie other. as morc fully dc.- scribed licrcilmt'tcr. As will be seen, upon reference to the drawings, the auxiliary rclay magma 37 at the block 1) has one ter- .minal connected by way of a conductor 40 with a connnon wire. 4-1 that c-xtcnds 13 0 45 is tapped onto the contact 27 cooperating tion of the trackway and has ternnnals connected with sources .asjbatterles, 41 and 4.2

throughout the length of the concerned seethe opposite of ne y,

adjacent to the sidings. nalofthe relay magnet 37 at block D is connected with one terminal of a conductor 43=that extends through the contacts 25 and i 1 ..-the-contact levers 21- under the control of the magnets 18 and this conductor 43 is connected to the other side of thebattery 41'.

, "The auxiliary relay magnet 37 adjacent to block B has one terminal connected with -,thecommon wire 41.by means of a cone 'ductor 44 and the other terminal connected with one end ofa conductor 45. that extends throu h the contacts'25 and the contact lethe control of the magnets and E and is terminally connected to'the other side of the battery under By means of these connections, it will 'i-be seen that as long as all of the duplex irelays are energized, the auxiliary relay 'magnets 37 will be energized and the re- 'zsisp'ective control circuits held closed at these points. -For instance, .current for the relay 36 at block D will flow from one side of the battery 41, through the conductor 43 --'and the contact levers 21 and contact 25 Itherein, the magnet of the relay 36 and then ",-b ack tothe other side of the battery-41 f 'by way of the conductor 40 and the common 1 .'wire 41, while current for. the auxiliary frelay magnet at block B will flow from one side of the battery 42, through the con ductor 45, and the contact levers 21 and" contacts 25 therein, the relay magnets 37 and then backto the-battery 42 by way of the conductor 44 and the common wire '41.

'At each interlocking. relay, the conductor with the contact lever 22 under th control of the magnet 18, by means of a branch wire 46, while the conductor 43, at each interlocking relay, is connected with the back contact 27 cooperating with the lever breaking both control circuits of the motor 14 so that the signal blade may gravitate to danger position. \Vhen the train is in block C, the interlocking relay magnet 19 is deenergized and them-matures drop, thereby breakin one control circuit of the motor and as tie train passes from block across the insulation into block B, the magnet 18 of the interlocking relay is deenergized and the z'u'nlature lever 21 drops respectively located; .The other .termi down onto the adjacent end of the armature lever 1 under the control of the magnet 19, thereby locking the first broken circuit of the motorl t-open so that the first circ'uit will remain open while the second circuit is open, thereby causing the danger signal to be'displayed behind the train so that a following train'entering block 0, as illus trated in Fig. 1, will receive a danger signal. Should two'trains enter adjacent blocks simultaneously, either following each other, or approaching each other, the danger signal will be displayed at thejmeetin ends of the blocks, incident to both contro circuits of the signal motor being broken by the short circuiting of the' magnet of the interlocking relay.

When a train enters a block adjacent to one siding, as, for instance, block'A in Fig. 2, the magnet 19 of the interlocking relay is deenergized, thereby dropping the contact levers'and upon the downward move- 'ment of the contact lever 21, the circuit of the magnet 37 of the auxiliary relay adjacent to the other siding is broken, thereby deenergizing such other relay and opening the particular control circuit of the signal motor, as shown in-Fig. 2. Should a train enter the block E, as shown in Fig. 2, the other control circuit of the signal motor will be broken, as illustrated, incident to the short continue on to block E, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 3 of the drawings, the circuit of the magnet 37 of the auxiliary relay 36 at block D will be held open as the train proceeds from block to block, incident to the short circuiting of the track batteries and the deenergizingof the interlocking relays so that whenever a train enters block E before the train passing from block A has. rcachwlthe'siding, a danger signal will be displayed. ()n the other hand, the auxiliary relay magnet at block B is maintained energized during the travel of the train from block A to block E, incident tothe armature levers or contact levers 22 under the control of the magnets 18 dropplng onto the back contacts 27, thereby holding the circuit of said auxiliary relay intact through the branch wires 46. Should the train be traveling in the op 'msite direction, that is, from block E to block A, the same conditions will prevail and the auxiliary relay magnet behind the train will be maintained energized, incident to the contact levers 22 under the control of the magnets 19 engaging the back contacts 27 and holding the circuit of said auxiliary relay closed through the branch wires 47.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the following essential features will be noted: First. the breaking of one control circuit of a signal motor upon the deenergization of one side ot the. interlocking relay and the holding of such control circuit open upon the deenergization of the other side of the interlocking relay, as the train travels from block to block, incidentto one of the contact levers of the last-deenergized side overlapping the correspoinling contact lever of the first deenergized side and holding the first lever and associated levers down irrespective ot' the rei nergization of the first side of the interlocking relay Second, the locking of either side of the interlocking relay by the other side. depending upon which side is released first by the corresponding magnet. Third. the opening of the auxiliary relay ahead of the train by the interlocking relays and the closing; and maintaining closed. ot' the auxiliary relay magnet behind the train. incident to the back contact of the interlocking relays. and fourth. the holding, open of one signal motor control circuit at a siding switch. by a train approaching such switch. through the auxiliary relay. so that when the. other control circuit of the motor is opened by an opposing train approaching the siding. the signal will go to danger.

\l'hile I have herein shown and described the preferred form of my invention by way of illustration. 1 wish it to be understoml that. I do not lilnit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein dcscribcd and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a block signal svstem. the combination with a lrackivay divided into blocks and motor operated signals at the meeting ends ofthc locks normally held in clear position and capable of movcmcnl to danger position. of multiple conlrol circuits for each signal motor. and a train controlled interlocking relay controlling each set of circuits and uperable to break one of said cil'cllils upon the presence ol' a train in one block and to break .lhc other of said circuits and lock the lirst circuit open when the train cnlcrs lllc ncxt adjacent. block whcrcby'a danger signal will be left behind the train.

:5. tin a block signal system. lhc combina tion wilh a il:|i'l\'\\':l divided into blocks. a siding. and siding switch points controlling couununicalion bclwceu said lrackway and siding. llmlul opcralcd signals at the meeting ends of the blocks normally held in clear position and capable of movement to danger position. uormzdly closed mnlliplc control circuits for each motor. a train controlled interim-king relay controlling each set of said circuits and operable by the presence of tion with a track\\-'a v divided into blocks,

siding and siding switch points eontrollin communication between said trackway an siding, motor operated signals at the mee ing ends of the blocks normally heldin clea position and capable of movement to (lung position.v normally closed multiple contri circuits for each motor, a train controlle interlocking relay controlling each set said circuits and operable by the presence 0 a train inone block to break one otsai circuits and when the train moves into tl" next. adjacent block to break the other said circuits and lock the first-circuit 0pc whereby thesignal will be set at danger, a auxiliary relay controlling the advance C01 trol circuit of the set adjacent to the switc points. and a remote controlled control eii 'cuit incluiling said relay and extendin through a predetermined number of th interlocking relays in advance of the. switc points of the siding whereby the break i .the control circuit under the control of sai auxiliary relay ma be opened by a trai apprmiching the switch points in one diretion so that. a train approaching the switt points from the opposite direction will, upe lncaking the other control circuit of the s adjacent to the switch points, cause the sig nal to go to danger.

4. In a block signal system, the combilr tion with a trackway divided into block and sidings arranged along the trackva and communicatingtherewith, of motor cm trolled signals at the meeting ends of ti. blocks norma ly held. in clear position an capable of movementto danger positioi multiple control circuitsfor each moto train controlled interlocking relays contro ling the respective sets of circuits and ope. able by the presence of a train in one bloc to local: one of said control circuits an when the train enters the next. adjacei block to break the other of said control ci= cuits and lock the first -mentioned circu open. auxiliary relays controlling the :H

vaucc circuits of the respective sets adjacent to the sulmgs. and a normally close controllmg circuit for each of said auxihar' and communicating therewith, of motor con- 5. In a block signal system, the combination with a trackway divided into blocks, and sidings arranged along the trackway trolled signals atithe meeting ends of the blocks normally held in clear position and capable of movement to danger position, multiple control circuits for each, motor, train controlled interlocking relays controlling the respective sets of circuits and operable by the presence of a train in one block to break one of said control circuits and 1 interlocking relays interposed between the sidings and the remote side of the inter locking relay at the other siding whereby a train passing one siding and approaching the other siding may open one control circuit at such other siding and maintain the same open while approaching the siding so that an opposing train approaching the siding will receive a danger signal when in the vicinity of the siding.

6.." In a block signal system, the combinetion with a trackway divided into blocks, and sidings arranged along the 'trackway and communicating therewith, of motor controlled signals at the meeting ends of the blocks'normally held in clear POSitlO'y and.

capable of movement to danger position,

multiple control circuits for each motor,

train controlled relays controllingmach set of said circuits whereby both circuits of a. motor may be deenergized u on the resence of trains in adjacent control ing bloc s,"auxiliary relays controllingthe advance control circuits of the sets adjacent to the respective sidings, and a controlling circuit for each of said auxiliary relays extending through alternate track relays back to the other siding whereby the advance control circuit adj acent to onesiding may be opened by said auxiliary relay upon a train passing the other siding and approaching the first siding so: that an opposing train in the vicinity of the siding having opened the other control circuitwill receive a danger signal.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

JUDSON SQH'OECRAFT. 

